The Congressional Record is a unique source of public documentation. It started in 1873, documenting nearly all the major and minor policies being discussed and debated.
“75TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE U.S. BORDER PATROL” mentioning the U.S. Dept of Labor was published in the Senate section on pages S15079 on Nov. 19, 1999.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
75TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE U.S. BORDER PATROL
Mrs. HUTCHISON. Mr. President, on behalf of Senators Abraham, Kyl, and Gramm, I am proud to introduce Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 74, honoring the 75th anniversary of the United States Border Patrol.
Mr. President, the men and women of the Border Patrol are our Nation's first line of defense in the war on drugs and illegal immigration. Since 1924, the Border Patrol has guarded some 8,000 miles of international boundaries, and has maintained a reputation for getting the job done. The Border Patrol story is one of long hours and hard work in defense of our country.
The Department of Labor Appropriations Act of 1924 created a Border Patrol within the Bureau of Immigration, with an initial force of 450 Patrol Inspectors, a yearly budget of $1 million, and a yearly salary of $1,300 for each Patrol Inspector, with each patrolman furnishing their own house.
The Border Patrol has grown from that initial force of 450 to more than 8,000 today, located in 146 stations under 21 sectors. The Border Patrol's officers have assisted in controlling civil disturbances, performing National security details, aided in foreign training and assessments, and responded with security and humanitarian assistance in the aftermath of numerous natural disasters. 86 agents and pilots have lost their lives in the line of duty--six in 1998 alone.
By far, the Border Patrol's greatest challenge has come along our nation's Southwest Border, which is a sieve for illegal drugs and aliens. Last year, there were 6,359 drug seizures along the Southwest Border by the Border Patrol. These drugs had an estimated street value of $2 billion. There were also nearly 5 million illegal crossings.
The Border Patrol and the Congress are responding to this challenge, providing funding to hire 1,000 new agents in fiscal year 2000, just as we have for the past two years. I hope that the Immigration and Naturalization Service will put these funds to good use, hiring these critical agents, and using other resources Congress has provided to improve the equipment and technology available to the Border Patrol.
The United States Border Patrol has the difficult dual mission of protecting our borders and enforcing our immigration laws in a fair and humane manner. They do both very well under difficult conditions.
I want to congratulate all who serve with the U.S. Border Patrol on this 75th anniversary and express to them to thanks of a grateful nation.
Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Mr. President, I rise today to submit a resolution that commends and remembers events that transpired in Remy, France as its citizens honored the fallen World War II Army Air Corps pilot, Lieutenant Houston Braly. This inspiring story happened over fifty years ago, but its example of compassion and brotherhood remains in our hearts and minds.
On August 2, 1944, Lt. Braly's squadron of P-51 fighters on patrol in northern France encountered a German munitions train. After three unsuccessful attack runs at the camouflaged train, Lt. Braly's fire hit a car carrying explosives, causing a tremendous explosion.
Airplanes circling 13,000 feet over the battle were hit by shrapnel from the train, haystacks in fields some distance away burned, and nearly all buildings in the small French town were demolished. A 13th century church in the town of Remy barely escaped destruction, but its historic stained-glass windows were shattered.
It was this explosion that tragically claimed the life of Lt. Braly at only twenty-two years of age.
Despite the near total destruction of the small town, the residents of Remy regarded that young American as a hero. A young woman pulled Braly's body from the burning wreck of the plane, wrapped him in the nylon of his parachute, and placed him in the town's courtyard. Hundreds of villagers left flowers around his body, stunning German authorities.
The next morning, German authorities discovered that villagers continued to pay tribute to the young pilot despite threats of punishment. The placement of flowers on Lt. Braly's grave continued until American forces liberated Remy to the cheers of the townspeople.
Almost 50 years later, Steven Lea Vell of Danville, California, discovered this story in his research. Mr. Lea Vell was so moved by the story that he visited Remy, France, only to find that the stained glass windows of the magnificent 13th century church which were destroyed in the explosion had never been replaced. He contacted members of the 364th Fighter Group, under which Lt. Braly had served. After hearing how the residents of Remy had honored their fallen friend, veterans joined together to form Windows for Remy, a non-profit organization that would raise $200,000 to replace the stained glass windows as a gesture of thanks to Remy for its deeds.
On Armistice Day, November 11, 1995, fifty years after the war ended, the town of Remy paid tribute once more to Lt. Braly. On that day they renamed the crossroads where he perished to ``Rue de Houston L. Braly, Jr.''
I know that my fellow senators will want to join me in commending the people of Remy for their kindness and recognize the comrades of Lt. Braly for their good will.
Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the resolution be printed at this point in the Record.
There being no objection, the resolution was ordered to be printed in the Record, as follows:
S. CON. RES. --
Whereas on August 2, 1944, a squadron of P-51s from the United States 364th Fighter Group strafed a German munitions train in Remy, France;
Whereas the resulting explosion killed Lieutenant Houston Braly, one of the attacking pilots, and destroyed much of the village of Remy, including 7 stained glass windows in the 13th century church;
Whereas despite threats of reprisals from the occupying German authorities, the citizens of Remy recovered Lieutenant Braly's body from the wreckage, buried his body with dignity and honor in the church's cemetery, and decorated the grave site daily with fresh flowers;
Whereas on Armistice Day, 1995, the village of Remy renamed the crossroads near the site of Lieutenant Braly's death in his honor;
Whereas the surviving members of the 364th Fighter Group desire to express their gratitude to the brave citizens of Remy; and
Whereas to express their gratitude, the surviving members of the 364th Fighter Group have organized a nonprofit corporation to raise funds through its project ``Windows for Remy'' to restore the church's stained glass windows: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives concurring), That Congress--
(1) commends the bravery and honor of the citizens of Remy, France, for their actions with respect to the American fighter pilot Lieutenant Houston Braly, during and after August 1944; and
(2) recognizes the efforts of the surviving members of the United States 364th Fighter Group to raise funds to restore the stained glass windows of Remy's 13th century church.
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